Back in the day, unless you lived in Vegas, it was quite hard to come by a nice game of high stakes online poker. Thanks to everything on the internet, we get to enjoy the gift that is online poker – poker that you can play from anywhere with access to tons of high stakes tournaments and high stakes cash tables.
Perhaps the best thing about online poker is the wide range of limits it allows. When it gained popularity back in the late 2000s, millions of players would compete worldwide. As the big names like Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan & Gus Hansen started joining in for the poker boom on Full Tilt Poker, fans would gather online to watch, spread the word, and start the virtual rail that’s still pushing forward today. Consequently, the stakes grew and now go as high as $100/$2,000, which are impossible to find at most land-based casinos offering poker or live poker rooms.
If high stakes poker or cash games is your forte, there’s no better place to find it than on online poker rooms. But not all online poker sites are made equal. Besides the obvious matter of security, there are other factors you should check on when choosing a high stakes online poker site. Let’s take a look at some of these factors, as well as some reputable sites you can trust:
![Top High Stakes Online Poker Rooms](https://beastsofpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Top-High-Stakes-Online-Poker-Rooms-min.jpg)
Top High Stakes Online Poker Rooms
If you desire to play high stakes poker games online and want to become the next Patrik Antonius, you will need to know the right poker sites. Don’t worry, though. There are many poker platforms out there that you can use – from 888 Poker to Bet 365 and many others. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular online poker sites that you might consider:
GGPoker
GGPoker is a relatively new operator in the online poker industry, but they’ve already established themselves as the leading player in every aspect of it: The biggest tourney guarantees, the highest traffic & VIP tables for high stakes enthusiasts.
GGPoker in a nutshell:
- VIP tables up to $1,00/$2,000 stakes in PLO & NLHE
- Crypto & Bitcoin payments available to all players
- Slick poker software with social features on both desktop & mobile
- Fully certified and regulated by UKGC & Government of Curacao
- Exclusive monthly 30k rake race for players who register through Beasts of Poker
$600
bonus
- Up to 60% Fish Buffet Rakeback
- $600 Bonus OR $100 Free tickets
- $30k Exclusive Monthly Rake Race
partypoker
With its origin dating back to 2001, partypoker has one of the longest track records in the history of online poker It has grown over the years, always ahead of the curve, and is arguably one of today’s most renowned sites. The online poker site is especially keen on incorporating requests by players, offering everything from multiple deposit and withdrawal options and a ton of promotions, so players can get extra money.
You also get to access plenty of events and buy-in levels. Additionally, the site is fully licensed and certified in all regions of operations. Their parent company Entain PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange, which means security and fund segregation are on a high level whether you play poker for small or big money.
partypoker is characterized by the following:
- No fees on deposit methods
- New players get $10 in SPINS ticket
- Accepts e-transfers, Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill
- Fully certified and regulated
- Won EGR Operator of the Year award in 2007
- Multiple regular promotions
- Has large tournament prize pools
Bet365 Poker
When it comes to cash games, Bet365 is yet another old and experienced online gambling site out there today. Primarily focused on sports betting, the company’s online poker site has been around for just as long, offering some of the best poker options and allowance for liquidity.
Perhaps the biggest of its perks is that one account will allow you entry to various other betting options, including sports, bingo, casino worlds, and poker. Bet365 is part of iPoker, one of the top 5 online poker networks in the world. The site boasts of solid traffic and is known for being consistently secure and trustworthy through the years.
Bet 365 is characterized by:
- A wide variety of casino games
- You can use one account for casino, sports, bingo, and poker
- Has multiple promotions for poker players
- Allows for good poker liquidity
- Reliable and easy payment methods
- Good and responsive customer service
888 Poker
888 Poker has historically been one of the top authoritative poker sites in the world, although they’re currently not on top of the curve in terms of software and traffic. The UK based company is known for hosting a roster of professional players in their poker room, and some of the highest stakes games played to date. It is fully legal, certified, and compliant with all the required regulations in the online poker realm. Yet, you should read our interview with Jussi Nevanlinna on 888poker before you decide to trust your money with this poker room!
888 Poker is characterized by:
- Deposit bonus of 100% up to $600
- Voted the best poker operator for 3 years in a row
- Compliant to all the regulatory requirements
- Has traded on the LSE since 2007
- No fees charged on deposit options
- Withdrawals and deposits vary from country to country
$400
bonus
- No Deposit Bonus: $88 Free Tickets
- Rakeback: Special Rewards Program
- Famous independent poker rooms
Intertops Poker
Intertops is yet another rising star in the world of high stakes online poker. The company prides itself on having integrity and supporting its players through the course of its existence. Customer service interactions are also accommodating, so you are always guaranteed to get your funds. The fact that the online poker room is open to US players is a big plus compared to the majority of gambling operators. This way it attracts more customers every day, either to rail the high stakes poker games or try their hand in poker.
Intertops Poker is characterized by:
- Has deposit bonus of 200% up to $1,000
- You get a free seat in $1k New Depositor freeroll
- Impressive customer support system
- Accepts bitcoin deposits and withdrawals
- Has a no-fee banking option
- It protects players by segregating funds
What Makes High Stakes Online Poker Sites Great?
We all have different priorities when choosing poker sites. While some want speed and lot of high stakes action, others are attracted to pretty graphics and a feeling of a poker home game. However, some of these criteria make some sites more conducive for high stakes games.
Let’s take a look!
Amount of Poker Action
The first thing people check for when they are looking for the best online poker is how much high limit action it has. If the site is filled with a couple of empty tables and one giant shark sitting, waiting for small fish, then it’s probably a terrible sight. What you want is a site that continually has full tables, where you might actually stand a chance against some fish who’ll donate to you their stacks.
Yes, your goal might be to rub elbows with the greats – like Phil Ivey, for instance, who’s been known to frequent these poker sites. However, you still stand a better chance of enjoying the game if there are other smaller fish in the pool.
Therefore, check that the site has many tables that run different levels of stakes. This way, you get to choose the action you desire from multiple games.
![High stakes Cash Game Action with Real Names](https://beastsofpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/High-stakes-Cash-Game-Action-with-Real-Names-min.jpg)
High stakes Cash Game Action with Real Names
Real name action is great for both recreational and professional players – no more hiding behind an unknown screen name! GG Poker is following in the footsteps of partypoker, as party started using real names in its high stakes games like the Poker Masters Online, Super High Roller Bowl Online, and World Poker Tour Online championship. You can find Omaha and Texas Hold’em action on GGPoker up to massive stakes of $1,000/$2,000 with huge pots & straddles up to $8,000 occasionally!
Going forward, VIP players on the platform, starting with the high limit games, will be required to submit proof of identity documents to facilitate the change of pseudo names to real names.
This new approach will instill a ‘live feel’ to the product, reaffirm the integrity of online poker, guarantee the safety of many top pros, and limit the targeting of weak players. This can be quite a lot of fun for casual high rollers to recognize poker celebs at the GGPoker tables! Non-compliant players will not be allowed to use any of the skins on GG Network.
Don’t Be Too Keen On the User Interface
You see, high stakes poker online games are all about the recreational players. If the fish are not present, the game will break eventually. Because the games are centered on the casual players, most other factors about the site are less important. One such is the user interface. The user interface is basically the general outlook of the site and how easy it is to navigate and find high stakes games. Ideally, you’d hope that the fish would choose sites that have easier to use features, but in most cases, you’ll find them aimlessly wandering through the poker landscape (without a diligent search process) and just picking a poker home for no specific reason.
Sometimes they’d gravitate to a site with a substandard interface because it offers something they want, like a slot machine. They are mainly about the entertainment of it all, not necessarily great graphics or superb user experience.
The basic rule of thumb here is that if you want to eat, move with the fish, not the beauty of the ocean, which in this case, is the interface of the site. Luckily, most modern poker sites have evolved to bearable standards, especially when you are playing an engaging game of high stakes poker online.
![](https://beastsofpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Withdrawal-And-Deposit-Limits-min.jpg)
Check the Withdrawal And Deposit Limits of High Stakes Poker Sites
Poker money players and pokerstars are always on the lookout for one thing – the limits each platform offers. At most online poker sites, the withdrawal and deposit limits will be high enough for the average mid-stakes player. The problem comes in when you reach higher stakes as need you to move larger sums around on a regular basis.
Deposits will need to be higher and withdrawals, even larger, well … depending on your luck.
These sites will offer specialized techniques of withdrawing and depositing for the high stakes players in most cases as well as different payment options. Caps on limits might also be raised, so they better accommodate them. To access them, you’ll have to contact customer support, then request these special considerations for yourself.
While following fish might be a fundamental aspect, it doesn’t surpass the convenience of withdrawal. Sure, it might be easier to win, but it can get frustrating when you can only enjoy your winnings in small bits
Therefore, always contact customer support before raising your depositing limits. Check if there is something they can organize concerning the withdrawals. Most times, they’ll open special check options or a bank wire for high stakes players. But what is important is that you ask first.
![Safety and Reliability in Online Poker](https://beastsofpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Safety-and-Reliability-in-Online-Poker-min.jpg)
Safety and Reliability in Online Poker
Safety is a crucial aspect for all poker players. So, now you’ve found the site with the most fish and has the highest limits for depositing and withdrawal. But then comes the issue of trust. You see, high stakes poker action requires you to be careful when it comes to your funds. It is extremely important to know that you can trust this site with large sums of money.
Luckily, we have vetted each of the sites above before recommending them. If you are doing it yourself, you want to check reviews that other players have made about the site before committing to it. Check where the most famous high-stakes players are playing at and follow up to see whether they’ve had any problems with the site.
Ideally, when starting off with a new site, you want to start off by betting small and then checking the site’s response and reliability. This way, you can be assured that your money is safe, even as you dive into the deep end.
![About the US Players Online](https://beastsofpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/About-the-US-Players-Online-min.jpg)
About the US Players Online
If you’ve been following news on poker sites and are a stern poker player, you’ll realize that US players are largely restricted by the state’s banking options. In this case, they can only play on offshore poker rooms where you can even find poker tournaments. One of the largest offshore poker rooms for this is Ignition poker, but there are plenty of options for a savvy player who is looking for operators that are legal in the US.
However, this might not be the best spot to see pros in action. The most popular games for high stakes are the no-limit Texas Hold’em games. Here you’ll see blinds at $10/$20 with $2000 buy-ins. In most cases, the poker games here will have no screen names. The stakes tables discourage any third-party tracking tools – this makes the game softer for the recreational players by providing anonymity.
If you’ve been in poker for over a decade, you might ask why we didn’t present Full Tilt Poker in this article. Well, the answer is short and simple: Full Tilt Poker used to be one of the biggest online poker sites before it was shut down.
Other popular sites for US players are America’s Cardroom, BetOnline Poker, Black Chip Poker, and Bovada Poker.
Ready to Start with Poker Sites?
Now that you have a little crash course on the ins and outs of online poker in both high stakes cash games and poker tournaments, it’s time to get out there, join the winners & start crushing those higher limits! Feel free to check out some poker rooms we’ve recommended above and find out which one works best for you. There are many more out there that we might not have covered here such as ACR that could also offer you an unforgettable experience. You pick the right platform and you’ve already taken to first step to gain an edge.
Also, by registering on online poker sites, you can get to watch these high stakes games as others play them in real-time. So take advantage of this before you start. This way you get to experience & gain insight from the professional players and learn how they play the game. If your bankroll is quite there yet to afford the expensive buy-ins, most of these sites let you earn tickets worth as much as $10,000 through satellite qualifiers. This way, you get opportunities actually to play against the champions in some bigger tournaments. Best of luck at the tables!